City, Engineers continue talksCity officials met on Monday to discuss again a proposed drainage project in Russellville. Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spoke with Mayor Bill Eaton, aldermen, Public Works Director Michael Oakes, Finance Director Jerry McKaughan, City Attorney Trey Smith and Russellville engineer Kurt Jones. They discussed a proposed joint drainage project that would include improvements to Prairie Creek and Engineers Ditch, as well as...

Feds approve Arkansas Medicaid expansion plan LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The federal government on Friday approved Arkansas’ plan to use Medicaid funds to purchase private insurance for thousands of low-income residents, clearing the way for the state to implement a key part of the federal health care law. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved the state’s request to implement the “private option” approved by the Legislature earlier this year as an alternative to expanding Medica...

Obama mocks GOP for ’crazy’ Obamacare predictions LARGO, Maryland (AP) — With just five days to go before Americans can begin signing up for health care under his signature law, President Barack Obama on Thursday ridiculed Republican opponents for “crazy” doomsday predictions of the impact and forecast that even those who didn’t vote for him are going to enroll. With polls showing many Americans still skeptical of the law known as “Obamacare,” the president went back to the basics of explaini...

Lawyer asks judge to block sex offender law LITTLE ROCK (AP) — An attorney for an Arkansas doctor convicted of possessing child pornography 13 years ago told a federal judge Thursday that a new state law prohibiting registered sex offenders from receiving Medicaid funds is more about politics than serving the public good. Attorneys for Dr. Lonnie Joseph Parker and the state appeared before a federal judge over Parker’s efforts to temporarily block enforcement of the ban, approved earlie...

Mayor of Flippin won’t resign over firing of rifle FLIPPIN (AP) — The mayor of Flippin says he won’t quit his post after accidentally firing a rifle and breaking a City Hall office window, even if people in the northern Arkansas town want him to step down. J.J. Hudson rejected a City Council member’s call to resign. Councilwoman Stacie Hopper said she heard from many residents who were concerned about the incident, the Baxter Bulletin reported Thursday. “I’m doing what the citizens wanted me t...

Ouachita County judge pleads innocent to new charges EL DORADO (AP) — Ouachita County Judge Mike Hesterly has pleaded not guilty to new charges handed down by a grand jury earlier this month. Hesterly was charged in January with bribery and conspiracy after federal prosecutors accused him of defrauding the federal government out of disaster relief funds following the 2009 tornadoes in Ouachita County. The El Dorado News-Times reported Thursday that Hesterly and co-defendant Harry Clemons Jr. wai...

Fate of new Russellville subdivision uncertainThe fate of a planned subdivision in southwest Russellville is uncertain after a contentious meeting of the Russellville Planning Commission on Monday. The commission had on its agenda a request to review and approve a preliminary plat for the Overland Park subdivision, located along West 12th Street, just east of Lancelot Drive. The submitted plat includes a proposed 82 homes, which the developer said would be at least 2,000 square feet each....

GOP offers smaller budget cuts on debt measure WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are far less ambitious this week in their demands for spending cuts to erase new debt issued to pay the government’s bills than they were during a budget battle two years ago. The list of cuts under consideration now tallies up to a fraction of the almost $1 trillion in additional borrowing that would be permitted under a GOP proposal for enabling the government to pay its bills through December of next year...

Highway 124 project on hold ‘indefinitely’The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) has halted an improvement project at Weir Road and State Highway 124. Last week, the Russellville City Council passed a motion to “postpone indefinitely” consideration of an ordinance accepting portions of state highways 124 and 326 into the city’s street system. The ordinance specified those portions to be Highway 124 from Arkansas Avenue to Weir Road and a portion of Highway 326 betwe...

Rates for insurance exchange releasedLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The rates that insurers will charge in the Arkansas marketplace set up under the federal health care law will be as much as 25 percent less than what the companies originally proposed, the state Insurance Department said Monday as it unveiled the plans. The Arkansas Insurance Department announced premium rates for the 71 qualified health insurance plans offered by four companies that will be sold on the exchange, an online h...

State to delay signup for teacher insurance LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe announced Monday that the signup period for teacher health insurance will be delayed a month as he and lawmakers look at ways to prevent premium hikes of up to 50 percent that are to begin in January. Beebe said open enrollment for the teacher insurance program will be pushed back from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1 as he considers calling a special session to address the premium hikes, as well as longer term over...

Wording of term amendment approvedArkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel last week approved language for a ballot amendment that would extend elected county officials’ terms from two years to four years. McDaniel certified the language of the proposed ballot measure submitted by David Dinwiddie of Pine Bluff. The proposal would apply to county judges, justices of the peace, sheriffs, collectors, treasurers, assessors, clerks, coroners, surveyors and constables. Two of Pope ...

Health law separates potential GOP 2016 contenders MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. (AP) — A clear divide over the health care law separates the emerging field of potential GOP candidates for the 2016 presidential race, previewing the battles ahead as they try to rebuild their party and seize the White House. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz says he will fight “with every breath” to stop President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement, even if that means shutting down parts of the federal government. It’s an ...

Arkansas delegation reacts to US budget vote LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Republicans in the U.S. House praised a Friday vote that would keep the federal government running but defund President Barack Obama’s health care law. U.S. Reps. Tom Cotton, Rick Crawford, Tim Griffin and Steve Womack all said the House did the right thing in the vote to fund the federal government beyond the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year, averting a shutdown, while crippling the Affordable Care Act. The lone...

Panel: Judge’s txt msg about iPad overreachedFORT SMITH (AP) — An Arkansas panel has a given a light sanctioned to a judge who referred to her position on the bench when texting her stepsister’s former husband and telling him to return an iPad. Judge Annie Powell Hendricks told Terry Weidman, the ex-husband of Lynn Weidman, that he needed to deliver an iPad to a third party or face criminal charges, then warned him a second time. The Weidmans were involved in a dispute over information c...

Open carry firearms march in Jonesboro postponed JONESBORO (AP) — A planned march in downtown Jonesboro that organizers say is intended to educate people about openly carrying firearms in Arkansas has been postponed because of the shooting death of a 17-year-old boy. Arkansas Carry planned the march for Sunday - but postponed it until Oct. 6 after police said Jonathon Bell accidentally shot himself to death outside a local restaurant. Arkansas Carry member Scott Vaughn told The Jonesboro Sun...

City moves forward on convention center pactIn a split vote Thursday, the Russellville City Council voted to approve a preliminary agreement with a convention center developer. The Finance Committee met prior to the full council, and after discussion among committee members and other aldermen, unanimously voted to recommend the council enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with LodgeWell LLC. Aldermen Mark Tripp, Spence Roberts, Martin Irwin and chair Randy Horton make up the F...

Council approves officer’s benefitsATKINS — The Atkins City Council approved ordinances that would purchase a new truck for the water plant operator and established a $1,000 minimum limit for fixed assets during its recent regular meeting. Mayor Jerry Don Barrett said state auditors recommended, after a recent audit, that an ordinance be created for items that are purchased by the city. Items more than $1,000 have to have serial numbers, and records must be kept for auditors to...

House votes to cut $4B a year from food stamps WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to cut nearly $4 billion a year from food stamps, a 5 percent reduction to the nation’s main feeding program used by more than 1 in 7 Americans. The 217-210 vote was a win for conservatives after Democrats united in opposition and some GOP moderates said the cut was too high. Fifteen Republicans voted against the measure. The bill’s savings would be achieved by allowing states to put broad new work require...